CAP Site History

The founding of the Veterans’ Memorial Computer Site at the Legion/Community Centre in 1999 illustrates the uniqueness of this community and the extent of human capital in the form of volunteerism.

That year, Industry Canada granted the Legion $11,439 through an initiative called the International Year of Older Persons to purchase computer equipment. The Legion provided the space. Dozens of seniors and youths were trained at the site during several initiatives.

In 2000, Industry Canada granted the Legion $9,998 in order for the site to become a bonafide C@P (Community Access Program) site. Thus, the Veterans’ Memorial C@P Site became the first C@P site housed in a Legion in Canada.

Since 2000, the site has become a clearing house for our community. It has trained clients, created brochures and tickets, and partnered with most local organizations to develop our village socially and economically.

In that time, it has produced a monthly community newsletter. A glance at the long list of meetings in the newsletter gives a visual representation of the spirit, commitment to volunteerism, and sense of community in this village.

In 2005, the site designed 12 historic plaques that grace our village yearly, and produced at least three books: Memories Etched in Gold (the history of Gowrie Memorial School); Morien Remembers (a compilation of the biographies of veterans), and They Shall Grow Not Old (a history of Branch 055).

Numerous volunteers and summer students worked on these books. As well, the newly- formed camera club used the site to edit pictures.

On the tenth anniversary of the C@P movement in Nova Scotia in 2006, the computer site’s supervisor was awarded a plaque by the provincial government for exceptional volunteer service to the community access program.

To this day the Veterans’ Memorial Computer Site is about partnership and community spirit.